Composition for strengthening nails



United States Patent Oflice 3,382,151 Patented May 7, 1968 3 382 151 COMPOSITION FORSTfRENGTHENING NAILS Madeleine Vanlandeghem Knudsen, Geneva, Switzerland,

assignor to Mavala S.A., Geneva, Switzerland, a cor- 5 The present invention relates to a process and a product that beautifies the finger nails, increases resistance and hardness of the nails and prevents them from splitting.

The present invention is a continuation-in-part of applicants co-pending application Ser. No. 64,311 filed Oct. 24, 1960, now abandoned.

Finger nails are exposed to damage by daily manual work and by contact with foreign substances, especially, cleaning products, etc., which easily damage them.

A great number of products for care of nails are known. These, however, are used only for the treatment of the matrix, of the root of the nail, or the bottom exposed half of the nail at the root end of the living part of the nail where it is still attached to the finger or the toe. Such known treatments influence the living nail and, at that, none of the products known until now has ever been completely effective.

The present invention relates to a process and a product which increase hardness, strength and resistance of the nail against damaging outside influences. It is important that the outer portion of the nail, that portion of the nail that extends beyond the fingertip, or the toe tip, acquires the necessary resistance. This is the main object of the present invention. The care of the root of the nail is not the purpose of the present invention because, at this place, the nail is usually not damaged by outside influences.

The invention consists in a means to increase the strength and resistance of the nail by the application of a formaldehyde-containing composition onto the nail. Such a treatment hardens the nail, and, especially the proteides or albuminoid portions of the nail yielding beautiful resistant nails.

Formaldehyde cannot be used alone, because it would have too strong an action and thus damage the nail and the outer tissues of the finger or the toe. Accordingly, the present invention utilizes means to counteract the effects of the formaldehyde (the drying effect, etc.), by diluting it and mixing it with other substances, which simultaneously confer other beneficial properties on the novel composition, more particularly from the standpoint of maintaining a certain suppleness in the nail.

The formulation which has been found to be effective and yet completely safe for use includes the following ingredients in the parts by weight as indicated:

Ingredient: Parts by weight Tincture of garlic (tincture of alii) 0.5-3 Extract of camomile 0.5-3 Formaldehyde solution-38 vol. percent HCHO 2.5-53 Sodium lauryl sulfate 0,5 5 Monoethanolamine of a fatty acid of coconut (monoethanolamine dacide gras de coco) S-0.25 Pine oil 0-0.15 Eucalyptus oil 0-0.15 Demineralized water Balance to 100 The following is a preferred example of one manner of practicing the invention, although it should be clearly understood that this formulation is not to be considered as limiting either as regards the ingredients themselves or the proportions thereof:

Ingredient: Parts by weight Tincture of garlic (tincture of alii) 1.5 Extract of camomile 1.5 Formaldehyde solution38 vol. percent 37.0 Sodium lauryl sulfate 2.25 Monoethanolamine of a fatty acid of coconut 0.15 Pine oil 0.08 Eucalyptus oil 0.04 Demineralized water Balance to 100 A dye may be added in an insignificant amount to yield the desired color.

The amount of formaldehyde in the formulation is critical, since poor results are obtained when less than 1% of the total formula or more than 20% of the total formula is pure formaldehyde. Preferably the amount of pure formaldehyde is between 515% of the total formula. The formaldehyde acts to harden the albuminoid substance-keratin-of which the nail is composed. The product described above is applied to the cleaned finger nail and should impregnate it.

The tincture of garlic, also known as tincture of alii acts to neutralize the desiccative effect of the formaldehyde and fortifies the nail yet leaves it somewhat flexible.

The extract of camomile acts as a disinfecting regenerator for the nails.

The sodium lauryl sulfate is a surface active agent which favors a better distribution of the composition on the edge of the nail and assists in the penetration of the formula into the nail.

The monoethanolamine of a fatty acid of coconut acts as an emulsification agent.

The pine and eucalyptus oils are used to deodorize the formula.

The water acts as the solvent.

In use, the formula is preferably applied onto clean nails from which the polish has been removed. The treatment once per week, is limited to the outer half of the nail and more particularly to the part thereof which extends beyond the finger tip or the toe tip.

In using the product, it is only necessary to apply it on the tips of the finger nails or of the toe nails that have been previously cleaned of oil, and to let the product act while holding the hands or the toes downward. The liquid remains naturally on the tip of the nail, impregnating it and has a depth action. It hardens the nail almost immediately, in about one minute, the porosity of the particular nail determining the rapidity of absorption of the product. The result is durable. The tip of the nail stays hard for a long time and is thus protected against damage by outside influences and against splitting.

It is recommended that a coat of nail polish be applied to protect the treated surface against external substances (water, etc.) which could dissolve the product absorbed by the nail. Thus, the effects of the treatment will be prolonged, because the product will stay on and in the nail and will not be diluted by external substances.

Applicant has established that the composition of the present invention possesses excellent aseptic properties, curing some inflammation of the matrix of the nail and killing fungi which infest nails occassionally.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A process for increasing the resistance and hardness of human nails and for preventing splitting thereof, comprising the step of applying to the outer portion of the nail a composition comprising an aqueous solution of formaldehyde, said formaldehyde comprising 120% by weight of the composition, and 0.53% by Weight tincture of garlic.

2. A process for increasing the resistance and hardness of human nails and for preventing splitting thereof, comprising the step of applying to the outer portion of the nail a composition comprising an aqueous solution of formaldehyde, said formaldehyde comprising -15% by weight of the composition, and 0.5-3% by weight tincture of garlic.

3. A process according to claim 1 wherein the composition further contains 0.5-3% by weight of extract of camomile.

4. A process according to claim 2 wherein the composition further contains 0.5-3% by weight of extract of camomile.

5. A process according to claim 3 wherein the composition further contains 0.5-5% by weight sodium lauryl sulfate.

6. A process for increasing the resistance and hardness of human nails and for preventing splitting thereof, comprising the step of applying to the outer portion of the nail a composition comprising:

Parts by weight 7. A process for increasing the resistance and hardness of human nails and for preventing splitting thereof, comprising the step of applying to the outer portion of the nail a composition comprising:

Parts by weight Formaldehyde solution (38 vol. percent) 37.0

Tincture of garlic 1.5 Extract of camomile 1.5 Sodium lauryl sulfate 2.25 Monoethanolamine of a fatty acid of coconut 0.15 Demineralized water Balance to 100 8. .A composition for strengthening the outer portion of human nails comprising an aqueous solution of form- 4 aldehyde and tincture of garlic, said formaldehyde comprising 1-20% by Weight of the composition and said tincture of garlic comprising O.5-3% by weight, of the composition.

9. A composition according to claim 8 additionally including 05-33% by weight of extract of camomile.

10. A composition according to claim 9 additionally including 0.5-5% by weight of sodium lauryl sulfate.

11. A composition for strengthening the outer portion of human nails comprising:

Parts by weight Formaldehyde solution (38 vol. percent) 2.5-53 Tincture of garlic 0.5-3 Extract of camomile 0.5-3 Sodium lauryl sulfate 0.5-5 Monoethanolamine of a fatty acid of coconut 0.05-0.25 Demineralized water Balance to 12. A composition for strengthening the outer portion of human nails comprising:

Parts by weight Formaldehyde solution (38 vol. percent) 37.0

Tincture of garlic 1.5 Extract of camomile 1.5 Sodium lauryl sulfate 2.25 Monoethanolamine of a fatty acid of coconut 0.15 Demineralized water Balance to 100 13. A composition for strengthening the outer portion of human nails comprising an aqueous solution of formaldehyde and tincture of garlic, said formaldehyde comprising 5-15% by weight of the composition and said tincture of garlic comprising 0.5-3% by weight of the composition.

14. A composition according to claim 13 additionally including 0.5-3% by Weight of extract of camomile.

15. A composition according to claim 14 additionally including 0.5-5% by weight of sodium lauryl sulfate. 

1. A PROCESS FOR INCREASING THE RESISTANCE AND HARDNESS OF HUMAN NAILS AND FOR PREVENTING SPLITTING THEREOF, COMPRISING THE STEP OF APPLYING TO THE OUTER PORTION OF THE NAIL A COMPOSITION COMPRISING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF FORMALDEHYDE, SAID FORMALDEHYDE COMPRISING 1-20% BY WEIGHT OF THE COMPOSITION, AND 0.5-3% BY WEIGHT TINCTURE OF GARLIC. 